Safe Food For the Hungry -- II

Learning Center Activities Part 1: Food Safety

During this activity, participants will learn how to evaluate incoming shelf-stable
and perishable foods for safety and quality. The learning center will consist of
two sections: (1) evaluating cans and packages, and (2) evaluating perishable foods.
Specifically, participants will:

learn the major types of can defects

learn to differentiate between serious and cosmetic can defects

practice sorting cans

learn the major types of package defects

learn to differentiate between serious and a cosmetic package defects

practice sorting packages

learn the warning signs in perishable foods

learn to use a food thermometer

Materials:

can and package defect posters and/or handouts

examples of can and package defects

a supply of dented cans and damaged packages for sorting

Shelf-Stable Food Evaluation Worksheet

food thermometer

Put the Brakes on Food Poisoning poster

Perishable Food Decision Tables

Beakers or cups of ice and hot water

Preparation for Activity:

Obtain a supply of damaged cans and packages. You should be able to get a good supply
at no cost from your local food bank, food pantry, or grocery store. This is a good
opportunity to network with your local food bank or food pantry.

Prepare an exhibit of major defects by selecting one or two cans and packages that
illustrate each major can and package defect (refer to the posters). Make a label
for each can and package in the exhibit that includes the type of defect and why
it is unacceptable.

Label additional cans and packages with a code (i.e. 1, 2, 3 or a, b, c). Create
a key that corresponds to the coded cans and packages.

Create a food evaluation worksheet using the template that follows this lesson.

Copy the Instruction Sheets following this activity.

Instructions for Teaching:

Hang the Can and Package defect posters on the wall.

Place the labeled exhibit cans and packages on a table under the posters.

Place the coded cans and packages for sorting in bins or boxes on or under the table,
or arrange on the table, if space permits.

Place the Shelf-Stable Food Evaluation Worksheets near the coded cans and packages.

Hang the Put the Brake on Food Poisoning poster on the wall.

Post the Perishable Food Decision Tables.

Set out the food thermometer on the table next to a cup of ice and a cup of hot
water.

Post the Instruction Sheets.

Allow participants to examine the posters and the exhibits.

Encourage participants to evaluate the coded cans and packages, write their determination
on the worksheet, and use the key to check their answers.

Encourage participants to review the Perishable Foods Decision Table and practice
using the food thermometer.

Evaluating the Safety of Foods You Receive-Fact Sheet

Critical Can Defects:

The defects described below may effect the integrity of a can and allow microorganism
or other foriegn material to enter the can. Cans exhibiting any of these defects
should be discarded.

Swollen Cans - can indicates the presence of microbial spoilage or a reaction
product with the metal can material causing hydrogen gas production. **Never taste
product from a swollen can!! Throw it away!!**

Sharp dent on the seam - a sharp dent on either the top or side seam can
damage the seam and allow microorganisms to enter the can. Discard cans with sharp
dents on any seam.

Holes, fractures, or punctures - microorganisms can enter. Discard cans with
these defects.

Rust severe enough to cause pitting - means that the tin plate surface of
the metal is corroded and that the other layers of metal may also be affected. There
may be tiny holes you can't see. Discard cans with pitted rust. Surface rust that
you can remove by rubbing is not serious. You can keep these cans.

Critical Bottle Defects:

Bottles with any of the following defects should be discarded:

Chipped necks and threads - glass could break off into the product.

Cracks - microorganisms can enter.

Discoloration - the product is old or contaminated.

Critical Paperboard Carton Defects:

Product in a paperboard carton, like those typically used for cereal or pasta, may
be acceptable even if it appears severely damaged providing the inner pouch is intact.
Open damaged cartons and check to see if the inner pouch is sealed. If it is, the
product is acceptable. If it is not, discard the product.

Tamper evident indicators (freshness seals):

The law requires tamper evident packaging for over the counter drugs. Although this
type of packaging is not required on food packages, many food companies have voluntarily
used tamper evident indicators or freshness seals for a variety of food packages.
Packages with missing or damaged freshness seals should be discarded. The following
lists some commonly used tamper evident indicators:

Tear away ring - plastic band that must be torn off to open package and the
ring does not remain on the package. Products that use tear away rings include cottage
cheese and milk.

Break away ring - attached to base of screw cap lid. When the cap is twisted
off, the plastic band will break away from the base of the cap and remain on the
neck of the bottle to indicate that the bottle has been opened. Products using break
away rings include carbonated beverage bottles and salad dressing bottles.

Pop up button cap - button pops up when jar is opened and vacuum seal is
broken. Products using pop up button caps include baby food and mushroom jars.

Shrink band - band of plastic around cap and neck of a bottle that must be
torn and removed to open the bottle. Products using shrink bands include peanut
butter jars and pancake syrup bottles.

Perishable Food Safety Quiz

Mary and John, two volunteers in a local soup kitchen, disagree about how to take
the temperature of perishable foods. Mary says that the temperature should be taken
in the center of the food, because that's the last place to get hot or cold. John
insists that the temperature should be taken at the edge, because that's the first
place to change. Who is right?

The chili dinner at the church is canceled due to a snow storm. Estelle takes a
huge pot of hot chili to the homeless shelter. The shelter staff has already prepared
dinner for the night. What should they do with the chili?

A truck load of assorted donated foods arrive at the food bank. The truck is not
refrigerated and it's a hot August day. Which of the foods listed below can you
keep? Which should you discard?

bread

mustard

mayonaise (unopened)

canned/bottled fruit juice

eggs

hard cheese

butter

fresh fruit

lunch meat

apple pie yogurt

milk

poultry

Perishable Food Safety Quiz-KEY

Mary and John, two volunteers in a local soup kitchen, disagree about how to take
the temperature of perishable foods. Mary says that the temperature should be taken
in the center of the food, because that's the last place to get hot or cold. John
insists that the temperature should be taken at the edge, because that's the first
place to change. Who is right?

Depending on the situations, both Mary and John are right. When food is cooking,
you want to check the temperature in the part of the food that will get hot last.
That means, the center. When you receive food, you want to check the temperature
in the part of the food that will change first. That means at the edge. Remember,
to heat leftovers to at least 165 deg F.

The chili dinner at the church is canceled due to a snow storm. Estelle takes a
huge pot of hot chili to the homeless shelter. The shelter staff has already prepared
dinner for the night. What should they do with the chili?

The chili should be refrigerated or frozen for use at a later time. The shelter staff
has several options for safely cooling the chili.
1) Divide the chili into a number of small containers and refrigerate or freeze
immediately.
2) Place all of the chili in one large shallow container (chili is no more than
2 inches deep) and refrigerate or freeze.
3) Place the large pot of chili in an ice water bath and stir every 10 minutes until
the temperature reaches 40 °F, refrigerate or freeze.

A truck load of assorted donated foods arrive at the food bank. The truck is not
refrigerated and it's a hot August day. Which of the foods listed below can you
keep? Which should you discard?

bread: Keep if no signs of mold or spoilage.

mustard: Keep if container is sealed properly and no signs of spoilage.

mayonaise (unopened): Keep if container is sealed properly and no signs of spoilage.

canned/bottled fruit juice: Keep if container is sealed and liquid is not cloudy.

eggs: Discard

hard cheese: Keep if in manufacturers package and in good condition with no signs
of mold or spoilage. ** Note: soft cheeses must be discarded if not kept below 40
deg F.**

Attention Emergency Food Organizations

Check out our NEW food demonstration video in the video library! Raquel Reyes, Purdue University Undergraduate Dietetics Student, created a video on how to prepare a newsletter recipe, Bean Tacos. Enjoy!

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